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The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) says a dark cloud of suspicion, corruption and looting of the public purse hangs over the matter relating to upgrades made to President Jacob Zuma's Nkandla residence.

The union's leadership addressed the media following a two-day meeting of its National Executive Committee in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Numsa General Secretary Irvin Jim says the Nkandla renovations represent the works form of squandering of public resources to satisfy the interests of tenderpreneurs.

The union has called for the declassification of the public works department report into the matter.

“As South Africans we deserve to know the underlying reasons which lead the Department of Public Works and others involved to approve and use such a huge quantum of money renovating a private residence of a sitting president amidst the triple crisis of poverty, unemployment and inequality. This is an unprecedented expenditure since the democratic breakthrough of 1994, and calls for the review of all privileges enjoyed by those holding public positions,” says Jim.

This is an unprecedented expenditure since the democratic breakthrough of 1994.

Meanwhile, the union has rejected claims that workers are to blame for Medupi power plant not being ready on time.

Jim says the management of companies sub-contracted to the project must be held responsible for the delay.

The power station was due to start operating at the end of this year but Eskom announced earlier this week that it will only come on line in the second half of 2014. Many of Eskom's workers are members of NUMSA.

“All unions that we have worked with there (Medupi) have been responsible in ensuring that we sit down, we reach agreement when there are disputes and once we reach an agreement we convince workers to go to work. We are of the view that there is some sort of sabotage here because we did not come across any kind of genuine leadership to ensure that there is stability in this site," explains Jim.